Roadrunners Split Pair with Titans

ALBANY, Ore. - The Linn-Benton baseball team hosted the Lane Community College Titans and after two hard fought games walked away with a split of the doubleheader. The home team needed their final at bats to put away the visitors 3-2 in the first game, then stumbled late losing 7-2 in the second contest. Both were nine inning games.

Game 1:

Starting Pitch Connor Mendez had another strong start, allowing just four hits through seven innings. He also got some early support as Bryant Starr drew a lead off walk, then stole second base and scored on a Kolten Lindstrom RBI single in the bottom of the first inning. The Roadrunners (22-4-1, 18-4 NWAC South) held the 1-0 lead until the Titans (18-15, 13-12 NWAC South) took a 2-1 advantage from a two-run home run in the fourth inning off the bat of Declan Francis.

The Roadrunners would tie the game 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning as Lindstrom came up big with an RBI single that scored Chase Logan. The teams would battle into the bottom of the ninth inning, where the home team would rally.

Jake Dodge started the inning off with a single, and Brooks Avery would come in to pinch run. Avery would promptly steal second base. Starr would advance the runner to third base on a sacrifice bunt. With just one out and Avery on third, Conner Boyd would blast a sacrifice fly to deep center field, scoring Avery and securing the win for the Roadrunners 3-2. Easton Corey earned the win, allowing just one hit in two innings of relief with no walks and one strike out.

Game 2: 

The second contest was scoreless through five innings as both starting pitchers, Lane's Lucas Geren and Roadrunner Jake Von Lubken, were terrific on the mound. In the top of the sixth inning Lane would score on an RBI triple from Francis, then a fielding error would score Francis to make it 2-0 for the visitors. Linn-Benton would cut the deficit to 2-1 with an RBI single from Boyd to score Starr in the bottom of the eighth. The top of the ninth would see the Titans seize control of the game.

The visitors scored five runs on just two hits and they would take a 7-1 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning. A Boston Caron RBI single in the ninth gave the Roadrunners hope of a miraculous comeback but it would be the only run of the inning for the home team as they fell 7-2.

Linn-Benton will travel to Eugene Sunday April, 20 for a two game series with the Titans. The games will be played on the campus of Bushnell University, with 12:00 PM and 3:00 PM start times. Game one is scheduled for nine innings and game two is slated for seven innings.